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May has been magical in many ways including being part of the launch of Disneyland's 70th anniversary celebrations, and trips to Halifax and Miami. Many of those trips had us using car rentals and so I thought this would be as good a time as any to talk about something that isn't often discussed - how to have the best car rental experience.
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For many of our trips, whether it was on our recent ones to Tuscany, Halifax, or Miami, a rental car is a key component. If you think about it, it can really make or break your trip.
Are you getting the price for it? Will you get a nasty surprise from it when you return the car? Do you have the right equipment to make sure it's as stress-free as possible? We share with you our tried-and-true tips below!
Booking Your Car
It all starts here. If you've been with us for awhile, you know that the best way to save money on your vacation is with the car rental and that's because the rate you get "off the shelf" is incredibly high.
That's where car rental coupon codes come into play. We have pulled together all the details into one article with discounts that anyone can use and also ones meant for employees of companies.
Depending on where you're going in the world, you may also want to consider doing a quick search on Discover Cars and Rentalcars.com (by Booking.com), or Klook for rentals in Asia.
TIPS:
Make sure you put a credit card that you know you won't be cancelling prior to the trip. If you don't have that card in hand, they won't be able to honor the reservation.
For any of the big car rental companies, make sure you to join their loyalty program beforehand to bypass the counter.
In Europe especially, manual transmission is significantly cheaper.
Pay for the car rental with a credit card that has good rental coverage. Premium cards such as the American Express Platinum, Business Platinum, or Marriott Bonvoy (in Canada) are really handy for this. If you are relying on your credit card for coverage, make sure to decline all coverage.
Options To Think About
Whether you're going up to the counter or bypassing it, there are a couple of things that you'll want to consider:
Toll coverage - Know ahead of time whether the city/country(s) you're driving in has tolls and if those tolls allow you to pay at the booth or not. In Florida's case, they use cameras only which means that you're forced to pay for the toll package unless you're willing to bite the bullet with getting dinged afterwards + service charges.
Fuel pre-pay - This is always a bad idea. The exception is if you know you're going to be tight on time or if it's really inconvenient to find a gas station before returning the car.
Insurance coverage - If you don't have a credit card with good coverage, you may want to consider this. In our experience, we've only opted for this in places where we know we are at high risk of damage such as Iceland. We write about this in our how to rent a car in Iceland article.
Before You Drive Off The Lot
While you might be tempted to just get in your car and drive away, we highly recommend that you follow these steps before you go:
Full inspection - Do a full walk around of the car and take photos of specific damage you find. If you want to be super thorough, do a full video as well.
What to look out for - Cracks in the windshield, curb rash on all wheels, dents, and deep scratches.
Photo of dash - Before you drive off, get a photo of odometer (important if you don't have unlimited mileage), and fuel gauge (not all cars come full so it's good to know exactly where it is).
Check the interior - This is usually fine but it's good to make sure there isn't anything glaring like excessive dirt, rips in fabric, or anything else that could come back to you.
Check the electronics - Test the windshield wipers, wiper fluid, A/C, USB outlets, and the cigarette outlet. If anything doesn't work, request a new car.
Confirm and mark - Car rental documents include a slip where staff mark existing damage. It might be a pain to walk back but make sure they write down the damage you observed. They can then access what's major enough to mark.
Open your toll device - If you're paying for a toll package, make sure the device is activated and on. Sometimes this requires you to slide it open.
Now you're probably wondering, what is considered as "damage" on the car. We've asked and the general idea is that anything that's larger than a dime is something that might come back to you. That is why they don't care about scratches on the door and trunk, and stone chips.
What You Need For Your Car Rental
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If you're renting a car from the airport, this is one of the first things you'll be doing once you arrive. That is why we recommend that you have everything you need for your car, ready to go in your bag and not in the depths of your luggage.
Car mount - This may seem excessive but trust me, it's better than fiddling with where to lean your phone against. We'd recommend something like this MagSafe car mount. While Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is in most cars, never assume that's the case so it's always to have your phone ready for navigation.
USB cables - Make sure to have the right cables for your phone and if you want to be super prepared, have both USB-A and USB-C cables ready. Also, assume the outlet is all the way in the armrest so pack a long cable.
Cigarette adapter - In some cases, having one of these might make more sense because a car is guaranteed to have one, it's a shorter distance to the phone mount, and you can charge multiple devices at once. The only fall back is that this wouldn't work with CarPlay.
There are also a few other things you should prep on your phone before your trip to avoid any scrambling:
Do your OK Maps on Google Maps so that you can have at least some base maps without data.
Purchase your eSIM ahead of time and remember to activate it when you land by using the airport wifi. Don't miss out on the GigSky offer right now where you can get 20% off by using code GOINGAWESOME.
Download your road trip jams for offline use so you can listen to tunes right away.
Returning Your Car Rental
The car return process is always a little chaotic so it's best to get organized beforehand.
Fill up - Make sure to fill up the tank before you go back to the airport. Try to choose a gas station that's not quite in the airport zone so you can get a better price on fuel. Remember, you get a good 12 miles (20 km) before the fuel gauge starts moving from full.
Minimize your bags - Pack up everything into a few handy bags so that you can quickly grab and go.
Double check - Go thorough the arm rest, glove box, footwell area, and trunk with your phone's flashlight on to make sure you didn't miss anything.
Final photo of dash - This a little extra but ensures you know how much mileage you drive and proof that you filled the tank.
Have we missed anything or is there something that you always make sure you do when you rent a car, let us know!
New Japan Accommodation FB Group
We know that we have a lot of Japan travel fans and to help in your trip planning journey, we've created a FB group that focuses on where to stay.
This is brand new but our hope is that we build a large enough community of travellers so that travellers will be able to share what their experiences are at different hotels, B&Bs, ryokans, and unique stays around the country.
Here are a few offers that we wanted to highlight for April. Remember, we have our deals group on Facebook. It's free to join if you haven't yet! β
TourRadar: They have a new app! Make sure to download to check it out if youβre in the market for group tours. Inside youβll get access to their Mega Sale, a chance to win $3000, and thereβs also a surprise scratch prize opportunity in there as well. β
Mountain Hardwear: Get 65% off select equipment with coupon code MHWMAY65. Valid until June 1, 2025. β
Europcar AU & NZ:Save up to 20% for rentals between May 26 and December 31, 2025. Deal ends June 9, 2025. β
Amigo SIM: Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 20% on all SIMs. Can be re-used as well! β
Homes & Villas:Earn 2x points when booking a 4+ night stay between June 1 β Sept 4. Deal expires June 5, 2025.
Save On Stays
We've compiled all of the coupons and codes you need to know for all of the major hotel brands. β
In case you're not subscribed to our "let us know whenever you publish something new" list, here are our new posts. We have been loving reviewing some of our past trips and finally getting them live on the site, as well as working on our Top Secret Japan plan... stay tuned to be the first in the know!
The Ultimate 3-Day Hiroshima And Miyajima Island Itinerary
With this ultimate itinerary you'll learn about the devastating history of Hiroshima and how they've recovered since. Also visit the beautiful Miyajima Island and see it's unique "floating torri" as well as numerous other famed sites worth visiting. β
Ultimate 2-Day Hakone Itinerary - Side Trip From Tokyo
Hakone is a hidden gem within Japan, not so far from Tokyo....making it the perfect weekend trip from there! With fun ropeways to enjoy, as well as beautiful sights of volcanic craters, temples and even Mt. Fuji, you won't want to overlook Hakone!
Known as one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, and one of Japan's greatest sights, Mt. Fuji is a breathtaking wonder everyone should see in their lifetime. And these are the top spots in Japan to do exactly that! β
Where To Stay In Sapporo - Top 5 Neighborhoods & Why
When planning a trip to Sapporo, Japan, choosing the right area to stay can enhance your experience. Sapporo offers a variety of neighborhoods, each with its own unique charm and attractions. With this guide, you can narrow down those choices and find the right pick for your trip!
The Ultimate Guide To Orlando: Best Attractions, Eats & Experiences
Discover the magic of Orlando beyond the theme parks! From insider tips on navigating Disney and Universal to hidden gems, local eats, and the best places to stay β this ultimate guide has everything you need to plan an unforgettable trip to Floridaβs most exciting city. β
Manatees, mangroves, stunning riverwalk, and a village of the arts. Bradenton Florida is a great place to visit and discover the rich ecosystem with fun for all energy levels.
We've been able to test the Peak Design's Roller Pro carry-on suitcase and have a lot of thoughts. Hoping we can put together a video soon but we also have content coming your way from our trips to Halifax and Miami.
Next month, we're attending a conference in Saskatoon, and then working on a few campaigns in Ontario and Quebec. That's a whole lot of Canada π¨π¦ and I love that!
πͺ Travel Tidbits
Travel news
Here's the latest from the industry with a few articles that we think you'll enjoy.
βThe 25 best places to travel in 2025: From bubblegum-coloured lakes in Australia to a solar-powered safari camp in Botswana, these are BBC journalists' top destinations this year.
Things are starting to heat up! We're curious what you have going on this summer. Any exciting travel plans? Let us know by replying to this email!
Cheers,
Will Tang βChief of Awesome, Going Awesome Places
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